Collapsible seat



Jan. 24, 1928. 1,656,931

C. E. WOLFERMANN COLLAPSIBLE SEAT Filed. Nov, 6, 1925 4 Sheetsheen l m mm s f s s" Nv ...will

Jan. 24, 1928. 1,656,931

c.1E. WQLFERMANN COLLAPS IBLE SEAT Filed Nov. 6, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ZM

Jan. 24, 192s.

C. E. WOLFERMAN N COLLAPSIBLE SEAT Filed Nov. e. '192s 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Jan. 24, 1928.

C. E.. WOLFERMANN COLLAPSIBLE SEAT Filed NOV. 6, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I N VEN TOR.

AT ORNEY Patented Jan. 24, 1928.

'CARL I. WOLFERMANN, 0F N'E` YORK, N.

:Applicationiled November 6, 1923. #Serial No. 1878,'1'15.` i i rlhis invention relates to an lautomobile seat and it particularly :relates toa collapsible seat, `ithe object -of the invention rbeing to provide an exceedingly simple, Slight .and strong seat which can be readily setup =-or g taken down.

Itis also :an important object `of lthe invention to provi-:le Va collapsible automobile seat which in its folded state is secured belowthe drivers-seat and occupies a minimum 0f space. l

Anotherobjcct of my :invention is to p1fo vide a collapsible automobile seat which is either removed from, yor inserted into., zits storage room below the drivers seat by swinging it horizontally, and which `:is :set up, or taken down, in [the compartment of the automobile. i

lt is another object fot the finventionto provide -a collapsible automobile seat which at the passengerls pleasure by a simple Aturn mey be changed into a iront-or rear fseatat W1 Itzisalso an object of the-invention to 4provide a collapsible cautomobile seat Iof .co1n paratively inexpensive construction which maybe applied to-any type of automobile.

With @these ,and other objects in View my invention 'consists in the `construction, arrangement `and combination of the various pants of my device, Iwhereby :the object-s1conteinplated are attained, as hereinafter `more fully set forth, pointed out in fthe claims, and illustrated in vvthe accompanying drawings, in which Y Fig. l isa longitudinal sectional view .of the Vmiddle part of an automobile body showing the Idrivers seat and Aa rear fseat with my new collapsible seat set up between them;

2 isa detail fview, ona somewhat enlarged scale, of a ypart oit' my device acting as a @pivot for ,anelevated seat in the olded state;

iFig. i3 isa .detail lview, on a somewhat .enllairged scale, of ya part oi' Ithe base upon which my collapsible seat is mounted;

Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating :the manner `ot setting;I up, or taking down, the seat; l

Fig. 5 lis an enlarged detail `viewfshoxving the manner of securing the seat on rthe braces when set rip-and Fig. 52L is .a top view 'illustrating "how the braces and ithe raune with the seat yare hinged together;r

ig. 6 is a .sectional view :on Fi .1; y y

F 1g. 7 21s a -detail view, ron a somewhat enlarged scale, illustrating the particular member `.of the .frame of the supporti-n .base by which the khinged connection .ise eoted;

line of v 8 is "a'detail view showing :on .an #.en-` l laitged scale 4one .of 4the braces with zi-lug acting `:as a part fof 4fthe lockingdevice.` ,p Figs. A943 illustrate :certain simplified anfautomobilebodyofthefclosed typewhich in a moderate height above itsfloor ".11 is provided with ian elevated `drivers seat 12 securedeon `the platfoiun 13 Aand kon the .wall 14. lQn :the platform 13 ,a wall .l5 is erected v forms, or modications ofmy new .collapsparallel to wall 14 with a` window vpane 16 l slidingly arranged between said two walls. In connection with bottom ,1l ,and platform 13 fthe Wall L7 forms ,a storage 'place A18 of just suiiicient dimensions :to receive Vthe .foldedseat :as .indicated in Fig. il bydotted lines;

In the space 1B a plate ,19 lis .secured to i the iloor ll by means of screws `S20-soy that the fst-ud vv21, rigidly `mounted. upon said plate 19 and fpiovided with a Ascrew thread 22 at its upper end, is located within said space 18 approximately `below wall `15 and the window 16. e i,

The plate '19 vis substantially flush with Jthe carpet "23 lon floor L1 ;s.o ythat .the base 24:,

held by the Jframe 25 hingedly` sectu'edto i stud 2l, is supported in its entire extension. A 4spring 26 is slipped yover stud 2land .a nut 21, engaging screw thread V22 `,presses the expansonspri-ng 26 upon frame `25 `with base A24: vso .as to hold the same fdown.` The ,e hinged `connection of frame 25 with stud 2l f is effected by means of `a 4bore ,728 in the rounded projection ,29 `located preferably Vat that corner of the iframe whichis the gouter when the `seat is feet up.; `the frame is, ur- 3 rib 32 extends to stud 21 and is disposed parallel to the Vall 15, which is substantially vertical to the longitudinal axis ot the automobile.

Fig. 1 shows the collapsible seat'set up in the compartment A olf the automobile, the frame 25 with base 24 being' disposed on carpet 23. The collapsible seat consists of a pair oit braces in the Ytorni ot parallel legs 34 and 35 hingedly secured to each of the two sides of the 'trame which are opposite to each other and parallel to the longitudinal axis ot the automobile when the seat is set up. It will be noticed troni the Figures 1, 3 and 4 that the hinged connection ol" bar 35 with trame is made through a lug 36 at the upper rim ot' traine 25, by means of ay bolt 3i' rigidly secured to said lug 36, while the bar 34 is hingedly connected to frame 25 by means ot a bolt 38 rigidly secured to the same. The bars 34 and 35 are placed closely together, parallel to each other, and are ot substantially the same length; at their upper ends they are hingedly joined with the seat in a inanner particularly illustrated by Figures 5 and 5. The seat 39 is upholstered on both sides and secured to a frame 40 to which the rear support 41 is hingedly connected at 42. A plate 43 with two projections 44 and 45 is interposed between t-he trame 40 and the upper ends ot the bars 34 and 35 and from Fig. 5fl it can be noticed that bar 34 is hingedly joined to the plate 43 by means of the bolt 46 rigidly secured to plate 43, while the bar 35 is hingedly joined to the locking bolt 47 which passes through both plate 43 and frame 40. The hinged connection at the upper ends of the bars 34 and 35 are as much above each other as those at the lower ends. 4S is aprojection, rigidly secured to trame 40, acting as a stop in connection with the projections 44 and 45 which are substantially the same distance from the bolt 47.

A U-shaped rail bow 49, having its middle part slightly turned upwardly, is hinge-diy connected at its ends 50 with the two lugs 36 on their inside by means oi the bolt 37 so that lug 36 is interposed between the bar 35 and bow 49. The ends 59 ot bow 49, made preferably ot a. thick or round metal bar, are flattened out lor a certain length. this flat end, provided with an opening 50 for the bolt 3T, creates with the butt end 51 a space for the lug 52 projectingl .trom bar 34 inwardly towards bow 49 and being slightly edged at its upper part. This lug 52 occupies the space between the lue' 36 and butt end 51 completely when the bow is ressed down on bottom 24 as illustrated by ig. 1 and this edge facilitates pressing down said bow.

Assumingthat the collapsible automobile seat is folded and stored in room 18 and that it desired to use the seat, I take u i the curtain 53 attached te the Wall l5 an slip it over the pins Then I swing the folded seat outwardly as indicated by arrow B until it is disposed towards the wall of the automobile body 11 as indicated by Fig. tl. Then I seize the rear support 4l and pull it in the direction of the arrow Il (Fig. 4), the seat thus getting into the position illustrated by Fig. 4 until it is linally l'ully set up as illustrated by Fig'. l. then the trame 40 with the seat 39 enters into the position illustrated by Fig. 1 then the how 49 is in about the inclined position indicated by a dashed line and the parallel bars 3land 35 are in a practically vertical position, whereupon I press bow 49 downwardly that its side rails` touch the bottoni 24, whereas thc slightly raised front rail serves as a support for the feet. The frame 49 with the seat 3.9 is fully secured by the stop 4S restw ing upon the projection 44.

By pressing bow 49 down upon the bottoni 24 the whole construction ol the set up seat is locked against collapsing by the lug 52 and the butt end 51 ot bow 49; it has been shown above that the flattened ends of' the bow 49 leave a certain space which is conipletely occupied by the lug ot bar 34 when bow 49 touches the base 24; it this is the case then the lug 52 is held, like in a vise, by the lug 3G ot' traine S25 and by the butt-end 51 ot' bow 49 so that it impossible for rail 34 to more at all and the up seat, as illustrated by Fig. 1, represents a rigid system which absolutely prooil against any accident and which does not need to be sup ported by any rear legs which would only obstruct the space so that the passenger ou the rear seat Dis at liberty to put his feet at his convenience.

It I wantto transform the seat .troni a front to a rearwardly facing seat, I accomplish this in a moment by simply putting down the rear support 41 and swinging the seat 39, held by the 'traine 4U, around the hinged connection 4T oli the latter until the stop 48 rests on projection 45 as indicated by the dashed lines ot Figure l, which also shows that .seat 39 is made ot such length only as not to shear wall l5.

The construction ot my new collapsible seat has also the advantage that there is sutlicient space lett between two such seats arranged aside ot each other to allo-w the passengers to move freely between the seats. Besides the easy operation et the scat it is also considered a rneritot' the construction of my new collapsible .scat that it does not exert any shearing` action on the carpet on the bottom. then the folded seat is stored in space 18 the groove 30 registers with the rib 32 and as soon as I pull on trame "J5 to swing saine outwardly in direction ot' arrow B the groove 3() mores otll rib 92 andthe iframe '.125 slides over lfthe `back :of rib 32, :thereby lifting rthe fwhole folded vseat for ytheflieiglrt Off ithe rib x32 ,andstaking .it od carpet +23 .during the swinging increment untilfthe `folded seat is i entirely out .of v.soace 18 at which yBlllrlllent{groovezl registers :With rib- 32 fand fthe folded seat drops on thecan pet 23. @It is obvious .that by this :manner of operation the bottom does not scrape Y the carpet and it `is but natnralthat the carpet for this reason retains its pleasant :appearance for a very ,much 1o-nger time, :nor does the earpet need ,slots for parts ofthe seat to beoperated. f i.

g ilotake `down the seat I'irst raise bow 4 9 to suoli a height that the lou-tt endliof boW 49 siabote the lug 52;.and then :I -press upon the a'ear ,support 4l in the :directioniof the arrows E until theseat iscompletely `fol-ded, whereupon I swing it in the direction y of fthe arrow C (Fig. 6) into the storage space 18 until it has entirely disappeared Within `the same. yI may then drop lcurtain 53 and the compartment A does then not revealnnyftraeeof the oldedseat and shows only `a big free space with the seat SD. An inspection Yof} l`igure 4 ,clearly shows that the .bars 34 -and 35 are always parallel to each other during any1-step of ythe operation and owing :to the narticular hingine oonneetionsaof the Af-aifl bars with the 'bottoni and the seat, 'these latter elements are `also parallel to each other latany time during the operation and utilization fof the seat. The possibility ogf transforming the seat at will from a `front into la rearwardly ,facing seat by turning the seat 39 `:merely .180 deg. around pivot 47, admits alsoof :clearing a passageway lfor ,the doors zby ,simply turning the seat for approximately QOdeg. whereby sufficient passageway is ,grained ,to conveniently reach rthe .doors or seats.

In tlueplfolded state seat E39 rests `directly upon the base 2d and requires.only very little height so that :the xstorage :space 18 is rvery low Wliieh allows .the ldesirable advantage .of znialzing the Window pane rather high :instead of reducing it as is 4necessary with .the seats .ofuthis typenou7 yin use v; .my

neit7 seat also `admits iofletting the Window down ;to `a Very much lower [point than is possible in some vautomobile types lof the presenttiine.

Furthermore I VWish to -poi-ntout ,that the bow .49 `oiiers another element of safety being used .as a foot rest by the passenger, 'for .in this `manner the passenger himself automatieally keeps the seat'loeked vWhen .set up and thus contributes fto his own safety rvlhenhe v`puts his feet upon the `bow 49 and tlius presses the same down upon Abottom 24. Lani aware that variations ofsome details oi' construction may be resorted to `Wit-hout lloweyer .changing the 4principle of construetion and .operation of .my nenti Collapsible seat ,and therefore `I ido Anot restriet .myself further than the scope of `itbe :appended elaimsdemands. Whenever 'I spealcinathese claims of fthe botto1n\ l Lmean the ibase 24 ineludingzthe frame holding the sameand Whenever I speakof the seatllboard I mean the fseat 39 including fiiraine el() holding the saine. It I speak of tlie\flooriof the automobile I unean :the `,main bottom of 'the automobile nnlud'ng ztlie carpet Vaerossgand above which the base '214 is `swinging -when `motion is impartedyto it and with Ythe lfront Iloer I anean bar 34: Aand with ythe rear bii1 :the bari;

The modification of my 'new .CQllapsible seat illustrated :by the Figures V943 is made incase it ,is not desired t0 useztlleillew Seat alternately asa iront and rear seat; intense its use as ,a rear sentis Inot'considered then theplatei een beadispensed With-.in tlieconstruction and lthe front las Well as itlieflfear bar is :directly liingedlfy :connected with the frame .,witliout however otherwiSeelia-nging anything in the construction ,or the Jop,- eration of my ,new collapsible ,Seat Aieieelvt that, -as stated, the seat BQean notlie turned 180 .degrees around itself Vas iris necessary fto change the 3seat from a front V:into a :rearwardly facing seat. Whenever lefspeak of longitudinal side-edges I embrace and refer Ill) to A,the side edges which are parallel to ztlie longitudinal axis Aoit' theautomobile when -itlie seat is unfolded,

What I :Claim is': l 1 In ,a-,eollapsi'ble automobileseart adapted to be used in connection with an elevated driveris Vseat forming an open yhollow space bel-ow 'the same 4to liold the 'folded seat .therein, the .combination of a base adapted fto be moved substantially horizontally across the floor Afrom :below to vbehind lthe drivers seat, and `Niue `versa` 7a lugsecu-red at each llongitudinal side ledge of the `base on 'the upper side and at the rear thereof, a seat, a .plate pivoted :to each longitudinal side of :the `seat and haring a Vprojectionon its opposite lends, a pair of ifront and irear liars,` ofsubstantially equalilength :pirated on -opposirtesides of the base, the bars lof eacffli paiabeing disposed parallel in @lose proximity it-o feaeli fotlier and hingedly `connected at 'their upper iends with the eorresponding projection of aforesaid plates, a. lug yon each firent `bur lprejecting inwardly Closely yin iinont of llie lugson 'elle upper side .edge of ft-liebase, a .stop on each longitudinal side of the sea-t adapted kto Vrest on either of the projections roof tlie `corresponding plate, a looking rail, having' filattened endsso asito forni butts nena-thesaline` pivoted :on the inside of the lugs on the upper side edges of the 4base so ,-as to engage with its butts lille :inwardly projecting` fluid-s oi the front bars when pressed down., yand of ineens, secured k.below the drivers .seat to the .platform of the automobile, cooperating with aforesaid base in a lateral horizontal swinging movement. y

2. In a collapsible automobile seat adapted to be usedrin connection with an elevated drivers seat forming a hollow space below the same to hold the seat in its folded :torni therein, the combination ot a stud secured below the drivers seat to the platform of the automobile, elastic holding means secured to said stud1 a "frame, having at one ol its corners a rounded projection with a bore, ojieratively engaged by aforesaid stud, a base held by aforesaid trame and being adapted to be removed by a lateral swinging motion from below to behind the drivers seat, and vice versa, a lug secured at each longitudinal side edge on the upper side and at the rear thereof, a scat, a plate pivotally secured to each longitudinal side et the Seat and having a projection on its opposite ends, a pair ol"l iront and rear bars of substantially equal length pivoted on opposite sides ot the base, the bars ol' each pair being disposed parallel in close proximity to each other and being hingedly connected at their upper ends with the corresponding projection oi aforesaid plates` a lug on each iront bar projecting inwardly in iront ot the lug on the upper side edge of the base, a stop on each longitudinal side of the seat adapted to rest on either o'l the projections ot the cm'responding of the aforesaid plates, and of a locking rail, having flattened ends so as to form butts near the same, pivoted on the inside ol the lugs upon the upper side edges oit the base so as to engage with its butts the in *ardly projecting lugs of the trout bars when pressed down to the base.

Vf-l. ln a collapsible seat of the character as described, the con'ibination comprising a loclrin system for the seat against a forward and rear 'ard movement in its erected posi tion, said locking system consisting of a lug on each of the upper side edges of the base ot the seat, a rear bar hingedly connected to the outside of said lugs, a front bar hav ing a. lug inwardly projecting closely in trant ot the lug on the upper side edges ot the base, being hingedly connected to each side oi. the base closely to and below the rear bar, and o't a U-shaped rail, having butts near its ends, hingedly connected with the lug on the upper side edge ot the base on the inside ot the same and engaging with its butts the lugs ot the front bars when pressed down to the bottom.

l. ln a collapsible seat ot' the character as described, the combination comprising a locking system for the seat against a for ward or rearward movement in its erected position, said locking system consisting oi a lug on each ot the upper side edges of the base ot the seat, a rearbar liingedly connected to the outside o' each ot said lugs, a front bar, having an inwardly projecting lug,`being hingedly connected to each side ot' the base closely to and below the rear bar, of a U-shaped rail, having butts near both its ends, hingedly connected with the lug on the upper side edge of the base on the inside o't the same, engaging with its butts the lug of the front bar when pressed down to the base and having its center part turned upwardly so as to serve as a foot rest.

5. In an automobile seat, the combination comprising means connecting the seat with the support in such manner as to allow transforming the seat at will into a front or rearwardly lacing seat, said connecting means consisting ot a pair of bars disposed parallel in close proximity to each other, a seat, a plate interposed between each side of the scat and the upper ends of aforesaid bars, the rear bar being hingedly connected with the seat by a bolt passing through a hole in the pla e and being rigidly secured to the seat. the front bar being hingedly secured to the aforesaid plate below the aforesaid hinge connection of the rear bar, a projection eaeh on the opposite ends of aforesaid plate disposed equidistantly from the connection ot' the rear bar with said late, a stop pin secured to the seat in a slig itly shorter distance trom the hinge connection of the rear bar with the aforesaid seat than that of aforesaid projection so as to allow"*"engage ment of either projection by the stop pin on the turning over of the seat.

t3. is a new article of manufacture, a collapsible seat having a base and being adapted to be forwarded in the :folded state from below the drivers seat into its working position on the floor of an automobile, to be erected with its base and seat substantially parallel to the axis otI the automobile, to oller a rigid structure protected against collapse during its use and folding in a forward direction with the seat and base in parallel position to each other during this motion, said seat including a plate secured to the Hoor ot the automobile below the drivers seat and having a stud mounted thereon, elevated means secured on the upper side of aforesaid plate in a direction substantially vertical to the axis of the automobile, a base held b v a trame with a rounded projection liingedly secured to lsaid stud so as to swing laterally and horizontally from below the drivens seat into its working position in the automobile, two grooves on the underside of aforesaid rounded projection, intersectingr at an angle oi 90 deg. with each other, a lug on each of the upper side edges of the base of the seat. a pair ot bars ot substantially equal length. a rear bar hingedly connected to the outside of each of said lugs, a front bar hingedly connected to each side of the base below thc hinge connection of and in close proximity to the respective rear bar, having an inwardly projecting lug, a U-shaped rai having butts near both its ends, hingedly connected with the lugs on the upper side edges of the bottom on the inside of the same, engaging with its butts the lugs of the front bar When pressed down to the base and having its center part raised so as to serve as a. foot rest, a seat, a plate interposed between each side of the seat and the upper ends of aforesaid bars7 the rear bar being hingedly connected with the seat by a bolt passing through a hole in the plate and being rigidly secured t0 the seat, the front bar seat in a slightly shorter distance from the hinge connection of the rear bar With the aforesaid seat than that of aforesaid projec-` tion so as to allow engagement ofeither projection by the stop pin on turning the seat.

CARL E. WOLFERMANN. 

